Thursday, August 3, 2017

Nothing Lasts Forever Whatever the Kremlin Says, Novoprudsky Argues

Paul
Goble

Staunton, August 3 – The Russian authorities
have long promoted the idea that whatever is is forever as “an effective means
of convincing people that the powers that be are always right” and that it is
impossible and even dangerous to try to change anything, according to Gazeta journalist Semyon Novoprudsky.

In an essay published today, the
journalist says that he calls this “the syndrome of ‘imaginary eternity’” and
sees evidence of this all the time. When the US introduced sanctions or Russian
introduced counter-sanctions, the Kremlin described all of these things as “’forever’”
even when it should have been obvious that they had a beginning, a middle and
an end (gazeta.ru/comments/column/novoprudsky/10815265.shtml).

And that propagandistic argument has
created an atmosphere for statements equally untrue, Novoprudsky says, that “’relations of Russia and the West were
NEVER good’” and that “’in Russia there will NEVER be reforms of changes for
the better.’”But the idea is not new:
in Soviet times, the regime claimed the republics would always be together.

In fact, the Gazeta journalist points out, this “’forever’” lasted less than 69
years, about the length of a single human life time. And none of its leaders
from first to last managed that even though their spokespeople insisted that
each of them was forever and irreplaceable as well.

Despite the regime’s claims, “nothing is
eternal under the moon, and therefore ‘nevers” and ‘forevers’ do not exist in
politics. The borders of states and even the states themselves are not eternal.
Nor are the longest-ruling leaders eternal” however much they seek to convince
their populations otherwise.

“The syndrome of ‘imaginary eternity’ in
general is entirely understandable,” he continues. “Its parents are the brevity
of an individual human life and the fear of (sometimes on the contrary the
desire for) change.” But understanding where it comes from does not make it any
less dangerous even if it often is unnoticed, Novoprudsky says.

That is because it is “a powerful weapon
of manipulation” for the elites who use it to control their populations. “Its
main message is that ‘the future is impossible.’ Everything will always be as
it is now. There is only a great past
and the only correct present that directly follows it. And if you try to change
something, things will only be worse.”

But where people try or not, “changes all
the same are inevitable.”And as a
result, “the syndrome of ‘imaginary eternity’ is the main enemy of normal
development” because it suggests that people should not try to act but rather
accept the system others have imposed and the future such as it is that these
others project.

With the help of this syndrome, he
continues, “the authorities are really trying to stop time, to paralyze the will
of the nation to changes and development. ‘Sanctions are forever.’ ‘They will
always hate us.’ ‘The West is the eternal enemy.’” – all these are attempts to
stop time where it is now rather than be open to change or even to the
possibility of working for change.

“In reality,” Novoprudsky says, “today was
never exactly like yesterday and tomorrow will not be exactly like today.
Ideas, the environment, and people all change. Denying that may help some people
to live, to cope with what they do not believe they can change or should try to
change.

The future will be different, but here is “one
additional important detail,” the journalist concludes, “no one says that other
times will necessarily be better.”